Lunar New Year picks

Today is 26 January and is also the first day of the Lunar New Year. This is celebrated by Chinese all over the world but unfortunately there is no Chinese musician of note born on this day. The most popular musician born on this day is

1945 - Jacqueline Du Pre, English cellist in London.


However, there are many more popular works that debuted on this day.

1734 - First Performance (FP) of opera Arianna in Crete by Handel in King's Theatre, London
Selected recording
Recommended by Gramophone Guide. Not a famous work by Handel but '....Arianna in Crete is well worth investigating."


1790 - FP of Cosi fan Tutte by Mozart in the Burgtheatre, Vienna.

Selected recording
DVD format. Rated 4 stars and Key Recording of Penguin Guide. "...........bringing out the fine qualities of the whole cast, both vocally and dramatically....." Also recommended by Gramophone Guide, a Gem recording.


Selected Recording.
CD format. Rated 4 stars, Key Recording and also Rosette by Penguin Guide. '.......remains a clear first choice....." Also recommended by Gramophone Guide, a Gem recording. "............Boem's cast could hardly be bettered......."


1905 - FP of Pelleas and Melisandre by Schoenberg in Vienna.

Selected recording
Rated 4 stars and Key Recording by Penguin Guide. ".........splendidly recorded version...........superb performances........." Also recommended in 1001 Classical Recordings. ".........surpasses all others............an overwhelming experience."


1908 - FP of Symphony no. 2 by Rachmaninoff
First choice is EMI recording by the LSO and Previn but no image available in Amazon. Recommended by both Penguin Guide and 1001 Classical Recordings. Other recommendations are

Selected Recording
Recommended by Penguin Guide. "This is an easy first choice in the budget range."


Selected recording
Recommended by Gramophone Guide. "...........this is great music making.........."


1911 - FP of Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss Royal Opera in Dresden.

Selected recording
Selected recording
DVD format. Rated 4 stars, Key Recording and Rosette by Penguin Guide. "......ravishing sound......as perfect as you are likely to encounter in this world."


Selected recording
CD format. Rated 4 stars, Key Recording and Rosette by Penguin Guide. "......one of the greatest of all opera recordings, is in a class of its own....."
Also recommended by Gramophone Guide, a Gem recording. "This magnificent recording..........unlikely to be challenged........"


1922 - FP of Symphony no.3 by Vaugh Williams.

Selected recording
Rated 4 stars and Key Recording by Penguin Guide. "..........rare gift for drawing out the warmth of this evocative music..........spacious inspiration is irresistible........."


1957 - FP of Dialogues des Carmelites by Poulenc in La Scala, Milan.

Selected recording
DVD format. Rated 4 stars, Key Recording and Rosette by Penguin Guide. "..........remarkably gripping and wholly convincing production.........excellent dramatically............." Also recommended by Gramophone Guide. "This is one of the most worthwhile opera performance yet to appear on DVD."


Selected recording
CD format. Rated 4 stars and Key Recording by Penguin Guide. "...........vivid recording..........." Also recommended by Gramophone Guide and 1001 Classical Recordings, "..........an utterly committed performance......"

Selected recording
CD format in English. Rated 2.5 stars by Penguin Guide. "Excellent. atmospheric sound....................." Also recommended by Gramophone Guide.

Ronald Kwok
http://ronaldkwok.atomicblog.hop.clickbank.net/